A man is talking to his friend, Karl Anderson, on the phone who tells him that Ralph Leighton has passed away. The man’s daughter, Marie, plays loud music with loud drum beats on her record player. He recalls the day he had walked into Mace Gifford’s office to pretend to ask if there was anything he could do for town business. Phil Ackerman was already talking to Mace about Ralph’s sister, Amy, who did not want to care for her brother who suffered from a stroke. The man joins in their conversation and Mace had told him and Phil to check on Ralph’s health. The man went to Ralph’s house and saw that Ralph was breathing but unresponsive. Interrupting the man’s flashbacks about Ralph, Walter Farnum the constable calls, asking him to be a witness while Walter goes to stop Ralph’s greedy brothers from stealing items out of their late brother’s home. The man and Walter go and stop the brothers before they can wheel stolen items away on their wagon. Days later, the man gathers with just a few others, including Marie, to conduct a small funeral for Ralph. While Sarah Williams the preacher reads the service, his mind wanders off and hears not the service, but the deep thumping music Marie had played two days ago. He finds tears falling down his face as he squeezes Marie’s hand but cannot find the words to explain why. He and his daughter then walk home, talk about what to have for supper, and then race to the house while the man feel joyful.